drifting along with the tumblin' tumble of tide...

If you can tolerate the 'stink' of rotting seaweed, this is the time of year to go a'huntin' for drift seeds. I think I've found a buried treasure when I spot one. Sometimes, their smooth as silk and somewhat clean [if you think like I do], while others can be quite slimy and in dire need of a good cleaning. These two, were hidden in shadows of seaweed at North Padre Island's Whitecap beach. One was not bad and quite 'clean' while the other one...the sea heart, needs a lot of scrubbin' and sandin' to get it glossy and pretty enough to add to my collection. If you'd like to see a sea heart after they're cleaned up well...here is one I have found in the past years...the link

sea heart bean [from Costa Rica waters]

Mucuna [drifting from Belize and Costa Rica waters]

In case you're interested [or curious like I've been when I find 'em...the distance traveled - drifting in the gulf stream, would be as this site shows: 1504 miles/1307 nm *nautical miles] Now, if I could figure out the time travel, I'd die a happy lady. rofl [I know, I know, it depends on the current speed and the winds and tide, etc. etc. etc.]

I'm posting this early on Saturday 'cause I'm gonna be busy over most of the weekend...

CONNECTING TO:

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SUNDAY'S SUMMARY

Before I begin with my week's summary, I'm remembering an event that happened 43 years ago on April Fool's Day that changed my life forever....our firstborn, Irene, made her appearance at 4:14 a.m....I held my little girl for the very first time. April 1st is her birthday, she has given me the title mom and grandma by gifting me, giving birth to her own two boys!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY IRENE.

I completed the book "The Help" by Stockett in 3 days!!! I probably could've finished sooner, but yard work and Bud stopped me from reading day in and day out. Oh, and sleep had my name on it too. But what a book!! I read about the author after reading the book and she was raised in Mississippi, so all in all she probably had a good idea of what this was like back in the 60s, in times of equal rights and segregation. ONE EXCELLENT BOOK!! Or did I state that already. One of my favorite parts is the page at the end of Chapter 19..."I worked for Mary Margaret for 38 years. She had a baby girl with the colic and the only way to stop the hurting was to hold her. So I made me a wrap. I tied her up on my waist, toted her around all day with me for an entire year. That baby like to break my back. Put ice packs on it ever night and still do. But I loved that girl. And I loved Miss Margaret." She takes a sip of her tea while I type her last words. I look up and she continues..."Miss Margaret always made me put my hair up in a rag, say she know coloreds don't wash their hair. Counted ever piece of silver after I done the polishing. When Miss Margaret die of the lady problems thirty years later, I go to the funeral. Her husband hug me, cry on my shoulder. When it's over, he give me a envelope. Inside a letter from Miss Margaret reading "Thank you. For making my baby stop hurting. I never forgot it."no copyright infringement intended Times like this reading, I cried. Other times, I giggled uncontrollably...to where tears of laughter showed up and Bud thought I'd lost my mind. I probably won't look at a chocolate pie ever again without thinking of Minny and Miss Hilly. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND READING THIS BOOK. It's a book that reads quickly [at least for me] and it's the best one I've read in eons. In fact the last one I read in only a couple of days was way back when John Grisham was at his career peak...with "The Client". Oh ya...and coming back to reading "The Help"... pecker pie. How can I forget pecker pie?!!!

Bud and I began working on some yard stuff...like putting in red bark mulch along the south side of the house foundation where I have climbing roses mixed in with a couple of hibiscus and roses and one blue plumbago. All outside the computer room window. We then moved on to the area of the foundation outside the guest bedroom where I have one hibiscus and a Mexican Bird of Paradise plant...BEFORE [soil only]-->

AFTER

Then, with rain water and the foundation soaker hose muddying up the area around the backyard gate [and the drought last year making lawn die off], we put in paver stones...[small bricks] to keep from tracking and getting stuck in the mud after a storm. It's not fun sinking in this heavily clay soil after rain. New lawn in this area is a next chore; coming soon, I hope. Bud will have to prepare the soil first and then get more seed before it gets too hot to start a new lawn for this particular area.

Speaking of new lawn...We're slowly keeping up the daily watering ritual in the new planted grass seed. We're doing small areas at one time to get the new growth started and strong before going on to another small patch of land...that way we're not over taxing ourselves and soreness isn't a big problem...it's coming along nicely. Someday we'll be able to call it 'pretty' again!!

After reading this last book, being such a good piece of literature, it's most difficult to pick another book to begin and find it of interest. I did, however, start reading "The Dogs of Babel"...as always fiction. Authored by Carolyn Parkhurst. I've not read enough of it to make any decisions to continue reading it...but so far, not bad; a bit quirky for a beginning, but who knows. We'll see.

Week in review by days...we drove to Aransas [Port A] Texas, to enjoy a bit of birding with very little success in spotting anything 'new'. Tuesday shopping for groceries [went twice in one day because I forgot something the first time - sans my grocery list]. Prior to that, I stopped and picked up four bags of red bark mulch. Wednesday seeding another small dried area in the yard. Thursday, worked on the brick by the gate after going early to buy 60 bricks at LOWES. Friday....LAUNDRY and of course I always like to mention at least one of my meals for the week...in the morning you could find me making marinara sauce for Italian Meatball subs [ground turkey], and mixed the Italian spices into to 'soak in the flavors' before cooking. Made peach jello with fresh peach slices. As always a tossed salad [we have a salad with our meals almost every night], steamed, buttered baby broccoli, and lemon bars for dessert [shown in photo to the right]. Early Saturday morning I worked some on the computer and my blogging posts and watched a favorite program...GRIMM, online.

PS....did you buy your lottery ticket for the estimated $640 million? I read online that three winning tickets were sold in three different states...better double check yours....if you live in Kansas, Illinois and Maryland ---or at least bought your ticket there. Of course, I didn't play. Forgot...too busy. I think I could live with myself if I were to share that kinda money...LOL

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42 comments
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I am so glad you enjoyed the book, Anni. I did too, and the movie was really good. It followed the book almost exactly. You can see why it won Oscars. have a good weekend and it's nice to be able to comment again!

I'd love to be beachcombing!! Your garden looks lovely - lots of work sounds like to keep it looking great! Watched the movie The Help and absolutely loved it. Might check out the book one day. Have a lovely week-end and God bless!

the beans are fascinating, i live on the gulf coast in Florida so i might find them there if i look hard. if i saw it looking like the first photo would ignore it, now i will not. what a wonderful present on April 1st. thanks for stopping by. I had no idea my silly word would grab someone.

I have never heard of these drift seeds, but that heart one you found is beautiful. What makes them, what exactly are they? How many do you have? Do they wash up on the shore like sea glass? Tell your daughter Happy Birthday for me!!

Hi Anni! Happy birthday to you sweet Irene. April 1st is my Jessica and Patrick's Adoption Day. They've celebrated it every year since 4/1/1992 when it became final. A good day for us all!! Now I must go check out this seaweed-heart link of yours. Happy SSS.

Happy birthday to your daughter - and to you also, as you celebrate giving birth to her! I have a dear friend whose son always gives her a dozen roses on his birthday, as a thank you for giving him life. I have always loved that gesture! Have a great rest-of-the-weekend!

Hi There, I keep seeing your name pop up in comments on my friends' blogs--so thought I would check out your blog. Happy Birthday to your daughter. I have three sons: one will be 49 in July; one turned 42 in January and the other one will turn 41 in May....

Are you in Texas? Two of my sons are there, one in Galveston and one in Seabrook. I lived in Clear Lake for 12 yrs before moving to TN.

Your yard is gorgeous... We stay in the yard ALOT these days also --since we love gardening. In fact, I need to get out there and mulch right now (and get off of this ole computer)...

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